Control devices and valve constructions therefor or the like



R. w. HOUSER ET AL 3,359,388

Dec. 19, 1967 CONTROL DEVICES AND VALVE CONSTRUCTIONS THEREFOR OR THELIKE Original Filed June 12, 1962 FIG-4 United States Patent ()fiice3,359,388 CONTROL DEVICES AND VALVE CONSTRUC- TIONS THEREFOR GK THE LIKERoy W. Houser, Orange, Louis P. Morris, Garden Grove, and Sam E.Chenaur, Anaheim, Calif., assignors to Robertshaw Controls Company, acorporation of Delaware Original application June 12, 1962, Ser. No.202,003, now Patent No. 3,237,646, dated Mar. 1, 1966. Divided and thisapplication Feb. 10, 1966, Ser. No. 547,099

4 Claims. (Cl. 200-83) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLGSURE An electrical switchconstruction having a pair of switch arm means respectively carryingelectrical contacts and having a natural bias to tend to always placethe contacts into electrical contact with each other, the switchconstruc tion means including a flexible member disposed between Thisapplication is a divisional patent application under Rule 147 ofitscopending parent application, SN. 202,003, filed June 12, 1962, nowUS. Patent No. 3,237,646.

This invention relates to a pneumatically operated electrical'switch'construction wherein an expansible and contractible elementopens and "closes such switch construction.

In particular, one embodiment of the switch construction of thisinvention includes a pair of switch arm means disposed in acasing andnormally being urged toward each other by the natural resiliency of theswitch arm means, the switch arm means respectively carrying a pair ofswitch contacts that will normally be disposed into electrical contactwith each other to complete a circuit through the switch construction.An expansible member is disposed in the casing between the switch armmeans and is operatively interconnected to the switch arm means in sucha manner that the switch arm means are spread apart to break theelectrical circuit when the expansible member is expanded and willpermit the switch arm means to move toward each other to close thecircuit when the expansible member contracts.

Accordingly, an objectof this invention is to provide an improvedpneumatically operated switch construction or the like.

Other objects, uses and advantages of this invention are apparent from areading of this "description, which proceeds with reference to theaccompanying drawings forming a part thereof and wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating an improved switchconstruction of this invention, the switch construction being in oneoperating position thereof.

FIGURE 2 is a view similar to FIGURE 1 and illustrates the switchconstruction in another operating position thereof.

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of one of the parts of the switchconstruction of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 4 is a view similar to FIGURE 1 and illustrates another switchconstruction of this invention, the switch construction being in oneoperating position thereof.

3,359,388 Patented Dec. 19, 1967 FIGURE 5 is a view similar to FIGURE 4and illustrates the switch construction in another operating positionthereof.

This invention is not to be limited to only the embodiments illustratedin the drawings, because the drawings are merely utilized to illustratesome of the wide variety of uses of this invention.

Referring now to FIGURES 13, an improved electrical switch constructionof this invention is generally indicated by the reference numeral 342and comprises a casing 343 formed from a tubular member 344 having theopposed ends thereof closed by end caps 345 and 346 in any suitablemanner, the end cap 345 being formed of electrically insulatingmaterial.

The end caps 345 and 346 are respectively provided with passage means347 and 343 leading into a compartment 349 defined in the casing 343.

A pair of terminals 350 respectively lead from the exterior of thecasing 343 through the end cap 345 into the compartment 349 of thecasing 343, the terminals 350 respectively being interconnected toresilient switch arms 351 normally biased toward each other.

The switch arms 351 respectively carry switch contacts 352 normallydisposed in contact with each other to complete a circuit between theterminals 350 for any desired purpose.

A pair of non-conductive arms 353 are respectively interconnected to theterminals 350 and extend away therefrom, the arms 353 respectively beinginterconnected at the free ends 354 thereof to non-conductive plates 355having the free ends 356 thereof disposed in engagement with the switcharms 351 as illustrated in FIGURES 1 and 2.

A flexible member 357 is disposed in the compartment 349 and is securedbetween the tubular member 344 and the end cap 346 to divide thecompartment 349 into two chambers 358 and 359, the chamber 358 being incom munication with the passage means 348 and the chamber 359 being incommunication with the passage means 347 previously described.

As long as the pressure differential between the chambers 358 and 359 issubstantially zero or the chamber 359 has a greater pressure than thechamber 358, the baglike, flexible member 357 is disposed in theposition illustrated in FIGURE 1 whereby the switch contacts 352 aredisposed in contact with each other and permit electrical current toflow between the terminals 350 for any desired purpose.

However, when the pressure differential between the chambers 358 and 359reaches a point whereby the flexible member 357 expands and engages thepressure members 355 to move the same outwardly and carry the switcharms 351 away from each other in the manner illustrated in FIGURE 2, theelectrical current between the terminals 350 is terminated until theflexible member 357 collapses to the position illustrated in FIGURE 1.

One typical application of the switch consrtuction 342 of this inventionis to provide a water level control for a domestic washing machine orthe like wherein the passage means 348 thereof is interconnected to awater level sensing means so that the air trapped in the chamber 358will increase as the water level in the domestic washing machineincreases.

Therefore, as long as the supply of water to the washing machine isbelow the desired level thereof, the switch contacts 352 remain incontact with each other and energize a suitable solenoid valve or thelike to supply water to the washing machine.

However, when the water level has reached the desired level, theflexible member 357 is expanded to the position illustrated in FIGURE 2to open the switch contact 352 and terminate operation of the flow ofWater to the washing machine.

While the flexible member 357 of the switch construction 342 has beenillustrated as being bag-like, it is to be understood that the same canbe formed in any desired manner.

For example, another switch construction of this invention is generallyindicated by the reference, numeral 360 in FIGURES 3 and 4 wherein partsthereof similar to the switch construction 342 are indicated by likereference numerals.

The end cap 346 of the switch construction 360 is provided with anupwardly extending portion 361 having annular flanges 362 and 3-63disposed at the opposed ends thereof.

A tubular flexible member 364 is adapted to encompass the annularflanges 362 and 363 of the end cap 346 to define a chamber 365therewith, the tubular flexible member 364 being secured to the annularflanges 362 and 363 by split retaining rings 366.

The chamber 365 of the flexible member 364 is interconnected to apassage means 367 formed in the end cap 346 while the other chamber 359of the casing 343 is interconnected to passage means 347 formed in theend cap 345.

As long as the pressure differential between the chambers 365 and 359remains substantially zero, the switch contacts 352 are disposed incontact with each other whereby current can flow between the terminals350.

However, when the pressure in the chamber 365 increases over thepressure in the chamber 359 to an amount greater than the spring forceof the switch arms 351, the expanded flexible member 364 moves theswitch arms 351 away from each other to break electrical contact betweenthe switch contacts 352 to terminate the flow of current between theterminals 350 in a manner similar to the switch construction 342previously described.

Therefore, it can be seen that this invention provides improvedelectrical switch constructions or the'like which can be actuated by asimple pressure differential arrangement.

While the form of the invention now preferred has been disclosed asrequired by the statutes, other forms may be used, all coming within thescope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is:

1. A switch construction comprising a casing, a pair of switch armmeans; disposed in said casing and normally being urged toward eachother by the natural resiliency of said switch arm means, a pair ofswitch contacts respectively carried by said switch switch arm means andnormally disposed in contact with each other to complete a circuitthrough said switch construction, and an expansible member disposed insaid casing and being disposed between said switch arm means, saidexpansible member being operatively interconnected to said switch armmeans to spread said switch arm means and break said circuit when saidmember is expanded, said switch arm means each including an electricalterminal carried by said casing and having first, second and third armscarried thereby, said first and second arms of each arm means havingadjacent ends secured to opposite sides of their respective terminal tobe spaced from each other with said second arm carrying its respectivecontact at the other end thereof, said third arm of each arm meanshaving one end carried by the other end of its respective first arm andhaving its other end disposed against said other end of its respectivesecond arm, said exansible member being so disposed between said armmeans that said expansible member engages said third arms when expandedto move the same away from each other and thus move said second armsaway' from each other to break said circuit.

2. A switch construction comprising a casing, a pair of switch arm meansdisposed in said casing and normally being urged toward each other bythe natural resiliency of said switch arm means, a pair of switchcontacts respectively carried by said switch arm means and normallydisposed in contact with each other to complete a circuit through saidswitch construction, and a flexible member disposed in said casing anddividing said chamber into two compartments, said flexible member beingdisposed between said switch arm means and being operativelyinterconnected to said switch arm means whereby said flexible memberexpands and moves said switch arm means away from eachother to breaksaidcircuit when the pressure in one of said chambers is greater than thepressure in the other chamber a predetermined amount, said switch armmeans each including an electrical terminal carried by said casing-andhaving first, second and third arms carried thereby, said first andsecond arms of each arm means having adjacent ends secured to oppositesides of their respective terminal to be spaced from each other withsaid second arm carrying its respective contact at the other endthereof, said third arm of each arm means having one end carried bythe'other end of its respective first arm and having its other enddisposed against said other end of its respective second arm, saidflexible member being so disposed between said arm means that saidflexible member engages said third arm means when expanded to move thesame away from each other and thus move said second arms away from eachother to break said circuit.

3. A switch'construction as set forth in claim 2, wherein said flexiblemember is tubular.

4. A switch construction as set forth in claim 2 wherein said flexiblemember is bag-like.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS BERNARD A. GILHEANY, PrimaryExaminer.

H. B. GILSON, Assistant Examiner.

1. A SWITCH CONSTRUCTION COMPRISING A CASING, A PAIR OF SWITCH ARMMEANS; DISPOSED IN SAID CASING AND NORMALLY BEING URGED TOWARD EACHOTHER BY THE NATURAL RESILIENCY OF SAID SWITCH ARM MEANS, A PAIR OFSWITCH CONTACTS RESPECTIVELY CARRIED BY SAID SWITCH SWITCH ARM MEANS ANDNORMALLY DISPOSED IN CONTACT WITH EACH OTHER TO COMPLETE A CIRCUITTHROUGH SAID SWITCH CONSTRUCTION, AND AN EXPANSIBLE MEMBER DISPOSED INSAID CASING AND BEING DISPOSED BETWEEN SAID SWITCH ARM MEANS, SAIDEXPANSIBLE MEMBER BEING OPERATIVELY INTERCONNECTED TO SAID SWITCH ARMMEANS TO SPREAD SAID SWITCH ARM MEANS AND BREAK SAID CIRCUIT WHEN SAIDMEMBER IS EXPANDED, SAID SWITCH ARM MEANS EACH INCLUDING AN ELECTRICALTERMINAL CARRIED BY SAID CASING AND HAVING FIRST, SECOND AND THIRD ARMSCARRIED THEREBY, SAID FIRST AND SECOND ARMS OF EACH ARM MEANS HAVINGADJACENT ENDS SECURED TO OPPOSITE SIDES OF THEIR RESPECTIVE TERMINAL TOBE SPACED FROM EACH OTHER WITH SAID SECOND ARM CARRYING ITS RESPECTIVECONTACT AT THE OTHER END THEREOF, SAID THIRD ARM OF EACH ARM MEANSHAVING ONE END CARRIED BY THE OTHER END OF ITS RESPECTIVE FIRST ARM ANDHAVING ITS OTHER END DISPOSED AGAINST SAID OTHER END OF ITS RESPECTIVESECOND ARM, SAID EXANSIBLE MEMBER BEING SO DISPOSED BETWEEN SAID ARMMEANS THAT SAID EXPANSIBLE MEMBER ENGAGES SAID THIRD ARMS WHEN EXPANDEDTO MOVE THE SAME AWAY FROM EACH OTHER AND THUS MOVE SAID SECOND ARMSAWAY FROM EACH OTHER TO BREAK SAID CIRCUIT.